Today I begin a new phase of my journey towards physical fitness.
I turn 50 on September 7, 2026.
I will weigh 195lbs on that day.
Today, I weigh 259.9.
I keep thinking about what I am seeing online these days and realizing more and more that integrity is the rarest of qualities.
Lives Hidden With Christ - Reconciled
Listen to the full message here: Lives Hidden With Chris - Reconciled
We live in a world that seems to thrive on having enemies. Everywhere we turn, someone is telling us who we should hate, who is coming for us, who we must fear. And what’s the expected response? Hate them back. Strike before they strike you. This is the way of the world.
But for those of us who follow Jesus, we are called to be in the world but not of it. We are called to look different—to respond differently.
Your Yes to God demands your No to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies, to all oppression and violation of the weak and the poor, to all godlessness and mocking of the holy. Your Yes to God demands a brave No to everything that will ever hinder you from serving God alone, whether it be your profession, your property, your house, your honor before the world. Faith means decision.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Gift of Faith, 1938
More and more I am doubting the value of online “dialogue.” I want it to be a thing, but I have not seen legitimate conversations happen in a long time. It typically devolves into “gotcha” games and name-calling.
What’s a show or two you really enjoy that you think would help people understand who you are?
I can think of two, Ted Lasso and The Good Place.
I don’t know about your social feeds but most of mine are simply filled with people posting mis- and dis-information. Most of it is AI or other versions of edits.
I am so excited to invite to something our community is hosting in October in Ann Arbor!
🌿 Join us for The Art of Being: Living Through Love 🌿
Slow down. Reflect. Connect. Renew.
🗓️ Saturday, October 18, 2025 • 8 AM – 12 PM 📍 912 N Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 🎟️ $20 | Learn more & register
Featuring Erin Kracjik & Dr. Michele White—insights on love, emotional wisdom, and living with presence. 💫
I was pointed to this speech by Fredrick Douglass in a podcast I was listening to today. It was delivered on December 9, 1860. It is as timely today, as it was then. I would encourage each of us to take the few minutes that is required to read it.
Lives Hidden With Christ - The Fullness of God
If you would like to listen to the full audio of this message you can do so here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Fullness of God
We are continuing our study of Colossians, and today we come to one of the most stunning passages in all of Scripture: Colossians 1:15–20. This short paragraph is overflowing with Christology—that $10 word that simply means “the study of Christ.” In just a few lines, the Apostle Paul gives us a breathtaking portrait of who Jesus is.
I am really digging Apple’s OS26. The unified feel between laptop and phone is fantastic. I really like the way everything looks. It feels very Apple, if that makes sense.
Every time my Session (the leadership of the Presbyterian church) gathers, I am always left amazed by what God has built here. This group of people is something special. I am grateful.
Another phenomenal football Saturday with Libby and the rest of the 236 Fab Five in East Lansing today. #GoGreen 🏈
A Pastor's Reflection on Political Violence
Yesterday, September 10, 2025, we once again witnessed horrendous acts of violence in our country. There was a school shooting in Colorado. There was also what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Earlier this year, our country saw a representative from Minnesota assassinated, apparently for political reasons. There was also the assassination of a CEO of a large health insurance company. In all three cases, people from across the political spectrum condemned the violence. Yet there were also voices, from both sides, arguing in the most appalling ways that those assassinated “got what they deserved.”
I wish any of this were surprising or shocking. None of it is.
Lives Hidden With Christ - The Spiral
You can listen to the full audio of this message here: Lives Hidden With Christ - The Spiral
When was the last time you learned something new? Maybe it was a skill, a hobby, or simply a new piece of knowledge. Whatever it was, you probably started with the basics—the fundamentals.
My son grew up playing baseball, and I quickly learned how important fundamentals are. Even as he advanced, practice always included hitting off a tee, fielding ground balls, and playing catch. What struck me is that professional athletes—the best in the world—still return to the fundamentals. They never move past them, but they also don’t stop there. The fundamentals are the foundation upon which the rest of the game is built.
That truth applies not only to sports, but to every area of life, including our spiritual lives.